Heater assembly



June 13, 1967 J, A. MacDoNALD HEATER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Shee 1 Filed Dec, 28, 1965 m bm n?? E Q@ ma INVENTOR JOHN A. MAC DONALD BY A ditty.

June 13, 1967 J. A. MACDONALD HEATER ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1965 INVENTOQ .JOHN A. MAC DONALD BY I United States Patent O 3,324,836 HEATER ASSEMBLY John A. MacDonald, Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada, assigner to Vapor Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Deiaware Filed Dec. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 516,841 3 Claims. (Cl. 122-250) My present invention relates to a heater assembly especially adapted to ybe incorporated with mobile transport vehicles, such as insulated railroad boxl cars, for heating the latter while stationary or in translt.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a heater assembly, as described, which is of optimum capacity to meet all heat requirements of the vehicle, which is capable of precise temperature control and is eicient in operation, and which is of sturdy and yet compact construction.

In accordance with the principles `of my present invention, I provide a burner assembly in which a liquid fuel is burned, and a coil-type boiler arranged above the burner assembly. A liquid medium, which is heated in the coils of the boiler, is circulated through the vehicle thereby supplying heat to the latter. The coils are preferably enclosed in a jacket from which extends a suitable exhaust duct. A float valve assembly and a temperature regulating valve Iassembly are interposed in the fuel line between a fuel tank and the burner assembly. IThe float valve assembly maintains a constant lfuel level assuring uniforn fuel ow, while the temperature regulating valve assembly, which is responsive to a temperature sensing bulb located within the vehicle, controls the flow of fuel to the burner assembly. The burner assembly, boiler and jacket, float valve assembly, and temperature regulating valve assembly are al1 enclosed in an insulated heater housing.

One particular feature of my present invention resides in the simplicity and eiciency of the burner assembly which is comprised of two concentric annular channels for receiving fuel to be burned, a pilot burner for selectively igniting the fuel in the channels, and 'a fuel overow return. By reason of this arrangement, the burner assembly does not require any wicks other than `a pilot wick for the pilot burner. Thus, maximum in-ser'vice life is attained with minimum wick replacement.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and using heater assemblies in accordance with the principles of my present invention, I shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a heater yassembly incorporating the principles of my present invention, taken substantially along the line 1-1 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View, taken substantially along the line 2 2 in FIGURE l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the heater assembly of FIGURE l, with the housing removed.

Referring now to the drawings, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral a heater assembly incorporating the principles of my present invention. The heater assembly 10 includes a generally rectangular housing 12 which is comprised of top and bottom walls 14 and 16, side walls 18 and 20, and front and rear walls 22 and 24. The side wall 20 is provided with a louvered area to accommodate the flow of air into the housing 12. Preferably, the front wall 22 is provided with swinging doors whereby `access may be readily had to -the interior of the housing 12. Also, the housing v12 is provided with a -central depending partition wall 27. The several housing walls are preferably of double panel construction and filled with suit-able insulation. Mounted within the housing 12, in a manner to be presently described, are a burner assembly 28, -a coil-type boiler and jacket assembly 30, a temperature regulating valve lassembly 32, and a float valve assembly 34.

The burner assembly 28 comprises a horizontally Idisposed burner base member 36 having upstanding annular vwall portions 38, 40 and 42. Cooperating with lthe burner base member 36 is an upper burning casing 44 having depending annular wall portions 46, 48 and 50 that are interfitted respectively with the base member wall portions 38, 40 and 42, whereby to define two concentric outer and inner burner -channels or rings 52 and 54 .for receiving fuel to be burned and to prevent fuel spillage due to shock from shunting. The burner base member 36 further includes a central depending extension 56, which has a bore 58 therein, and which is connected with a support unit 60 'carried by a strap member 61 adjustably mounted on the rear wall 24 of the housing 12.

The burner base member 36 is also formed with passageway means 62 which communicates at 63 with the inner burner channel 54 and is connected through tubing 64 and a coupling 65 with the temperature regulating valve assembly 32. Fuel delivered through the tubing 64 1s conveyed by the passageway means 62 to the inner burner channel 54. The wall portion 40 of the burner base member 36 is provided wit-h transverse ports 66 which place the outer and inner burner channels 52 and '54 in communication whereby fuel introduced into the inner burner channel 54 is permitted to flow into the outer burner channel 52. As will be appreciated, by reason of the transverse ports 66, a common fuel level is maintained in both the outer and inner burner channels 52 and 54.

Projecting upwardly through the burner base member 36 and into the outer burner channel 52 is an overflow tube 68 which is connected through suitable tubing 70 with the bore 58 of the base member extension 156. Whenever `the fuel within the outer burner channel 52 rises above the upper end of the overiiow tube 68, the excess fuel is transmitted back to the bore 58 and discharged through suitable passageway means to the ground. Thus, -the fuel within the channels 52 and 54 is prevented from exceeding a predetermined maximum level. Also extending upwardly through the burner base member 36 into the outer burner channel 52 is a tubular wick support 72 which serves to receive a pilot wick 74 and which has connection through suitable piping 76 and a fitting y'77 with the lioat valve assembly 34. The lower portion of the burner assembly 28 includes a lower burner casing 78 having a horizontal wall portion that is secured in the support unit 60 and a vertical cylindrical perforated side wall portion. -The lower burner casing 78 -is constructed to prevent fuel spill-age from shock resulting from shuntlng.

Arran-ged immediately above the burner assembly 28 is the coil-type boiler and jacket yassembly 30 which comprises an open-bottom jacket 80 in which is mounted three separate coils 81 joined at their one ends to a lower header 82 and at their other ends to an upper header 83. The coils 81 are designed and patterned to provide high efiicient heat transfer, Iand are so arranged that they may be placed in the jacket 80 at different angles for different applications. The lower header 82 is connected with an inlet nipple 84 extending through the housing side wall 18, while the upper header l83 is connected with an outlet nipple 86 extending through the housing top wall 14. In addition, the upper end of the jacket 80 .is provided with a due or exhaust sleeve 88.

3 The temperature regulating valve assembly 32 comprises a valve body 90, a temperature dial control 92, a capillary housing assembly `94, a tube 96 and -a sensing bulb 98. One side of the valve body 90 is connected .through the coupling 65 and the tubing 64 With the burner assembly 28. The other side of the valve body 90 is connected, as `at 100, with the fitting 77. The tube 96 extends through a sleeve 102 secured in the housing top Wall 14 whereby to permit the sensing bulb 98 to be mounted at a remote point exteriorly of the housing 12. The downstream side of the float valve assembly 34 is connected, as

at 104, with the fitting 77, While the upstream side is connected through a hose 106 With a fuel inlet adapter 108 mounted in the housing side Wall 20. Since the assemblies 32 and 34 are of conventional construction, it has not been deemed necessary to describe the same in further detail. The above described heater assembly of my present invention is adapted to be incorporated with a mobile transport vehicle, and is normally mounted lin underslung position relative to the vehicle. The inlet and outlet nipples 84 and 86 are suitably connected to finned tubing (not shown) secured under the flooring of the vehicle. This vclosed heating circuit, comprised of the boiler coils 81 Y as Methanol lIsoproponal, is arranged to flow from the fuel tank by force of gravity to the burner assembly 28. Such fuel flow is regulated by the float valve assembly 34 and the temperature regulating valve assembly 32. As soon as fuel reaches the burner assembly 28, the pilot Wick 74 is lit. Then, the temperature dial control 92 is adjusted for the desired temperature in the vehicle. The wick 74 vburns at all times and, when heat is required to bring the temperature of the vehicle up to the temperature setting of the temperature dial control 92, the pilot wick 74 serves to ignite the fuel in the burner channels 52 and 54. The fuel in the channels 52 and 54 continues to burn until the temperature of the vehicle reaches the predetermined desired temperature. At that time, the valve assembly 32, in response to the sensing bulb 98, cuts off the ow of fuel to the channels 52 and `54. The pilot Wick 74 remains lit since fuel continues to be supplied thereto through the piping 76 which bypasses the valve assembly 32. When the temperature of the vehicle falls below the predetermined desired temperature, the valve assembly 32, in response to the sensing lbulb 98, is actuated for restoring the flow of fuel to the `channels 52 and 54. Such fuel is then again ignited by the pilot Wick 74. Burning fuel in the channels 52 and 54 serves to heat the boiler coils 81 and the fluid therein. Circulation of the liquid heat transfer medium through the coils 81 and around the vehicle is 4achieved in accordance with the principle of thermo-siphoning which is automatic and obviates the use of a circulating pump.

During combustion, air is taken from the atmosphere Lr through the louvered area 25 of the housing 12, and the exhaust gasses are released to the atmosphere through the jacket flue 88 and associated duct Work 110. It will be appreciated that the above-described heater assembly of my present invention is automatically controlled and is entirely self-contained.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be a preferred embodiment of my present invention, it Will be understood by those skilled in the art that various rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a heater assembly adapted for incorporation with a transport vehicle, the combination of a housing, a burner assembly Awithin said housing for receiving fuel to be burned, said burner assembly including a base having an Y upstanding cylindrical center portion and first and second upstanding concentrically spaced annular portions defining With each other and With said center portion concentric annular fuel channels for receiving and burning fuel, fuel port means in one of said `annular portions intercommunicating said channels and maintaining a common Vfuel level in both channels, and a pilot wick arranged in one of said channels for selectively igniting the fuel in said channels, and `a boiler assembly Within said housing above said burner assembly for receiving a liquid medium to be heated and circulated through a vehicle for heating the latter, and means `for selectively conveying fuel to one Vof said annular fuel channels of said burner assembly including a temperature regulating valve assembly Within ysaid housing, and a temperature sensing bulb located in the vehicle and connected With said temperature regulating valve assembly for regulating same and controlling the fiow of fuel to said burner assembly in response to the temperature in the vehicle.

2. The combination `of claim 1 wherein said burner assembly and said boiler assembly are located on one side of the housing, and said temperature regulating valve assembly is located on the other side of said housing in spaced relation to said burner and boiler assemblies.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said boiler assembly is comprised of a plurality of individu-al coils of different diameters, an open-bottom jacket -aligned With said burner assembly and enclosing said coils, and a flue connected with said jacket for conveying exhaust gasses outwardly of said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,997 6/1932 Behrsin 158-91 2,181,742 11/1939 Rumpf `126-56 2,197,945 I 4/1940` Sands 122-250 2,237,890 4/1941 Sabins 122-25() 2,257,431 9/1941 Silva 158-87 2,284,568 5/1942 Garber 158-9() 2,629,554 2/1953 Gillick et al. 237-8 2,951,642 9/1960 Hazard 237-43 3,143,108 8/1964 Rogers 237-8 X KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A HEATER ASSEMBLY ADAPTED FOR INCORPORATION WITH A TRANSPORT VEHICLE, THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING, A BURNER ASSEMBLY WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR RECEIVING FUEL TO BE BURNED, SAID BURNER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A BASE HAVING AN UPSTANDING CYLINDRICAL CENTER PORTION AND FIRST AND SECOND UPSTANDING CONCENTRICALLY SPACED ANNULAR PORTIONS DEFINING WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH SAID CENTER PORTION CONCENTRIC ANNULAR FUEL CHANNELS FOR RECEIVING AND BURNING FUEL, FUEL PORT MEANS IN ONE OF SAID ANNULAR PORTIONS INTERCOMMUNICATING SAID CHANNELS AND MAINTAINING A COMMON FUEL LEVEL IN BOTH CHANNELS, AND A PILOT WORK WICK ARRANGED IN ONE OF SAID CHANNELS FOR SELECTIVELY IGNITING THE FUEL IN SAID CHANNELS, AND A BOILER ASSEMBLY WITHIN SAID HOUSING ABOVE SAID BURNER ASSEMBLY FOR RECEIVING A LIQUID MEDIUM TO BE HEATED AND CIRCULATED THROUGH A VEHICLE FOR HEATING THE LATTER, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CONVEYING FUEL TO ONE OF SAID ANNULAR FUEL CHANNELS OF SAID BURNER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A TEMPERATURE REGULATING VALVE ASSEMBLY WITHIN SAID HOUSING, AND A TEMPERATURE SENSING BULB LOCATED IN THE VEHICLE AND CONNECTED WITH SAID TEMPERATURE REGULATING VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR REGULATING SAME AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FUEL TO SAID BURNER ASSEMBLY IN RESPONSE TO THE TEMPERATURE IN THE VEHICLE. 